Dry trail stoke...and a cow

I was out on Cowdrey today and so were a bunch of riders. Trail was dry! Haven't seen many pics of dry trail lately so here are some.

These were taken with a camera I thought was dead. I'd dropped it lens down in Canyonlands, Utah, and it's been sitting in a drawer for maybe three years. On a whim I took it out, put in a charged battery...and it works! (Panasonic TZ5). It eats through a battery in about 50 shots and the lens cover is stuck wide open and the rear LCD is cracked, but it does take pics.

These were taken with a camera I thought was dead. I'd dropped it lens down in Canyonlands, Utah, and it's been sitting in a drawer for maybe three years. On a whim I took it out, put in a charged battery...and it works! (Panasonic TZ5). It eats through a battery in about 50 shots and the lens cover is stuck wide open and the rear LCD is cracked, but it does take pics.

Yup, mine was dropped lens down. Lens is moderately scratched, and now after a week of Pacific moisture it has developed a mind of it's own. I really like the camera (wide angle - pocket point n shoot). It takes great pix, and I will likely get another one...
Do you know of any other camera that has the wide angle that the Panasonics TZs/ZSs do?

Yup, mine was dropped lens down. Lens is moderately scratched, and now after a week of Pacific moisture it has developed a mind of it's own. I really like the camera (wide angle - pocket point n shoot). It takes great pix, and I will likely get another one...
Do you know of any other camera that has the wide angle that the Panasonics TZs/ZSs do?

My lens was extended, a fly flew right into my ear (as they always do down there) I swatted at it with my camera hand (doh) and basically threw it straight down onto the slickrock. It made a horrible sound when it landed. I think the impact also hosed either the battery or the circuits because from then on the battery drained down really quick. The lens would catch extending then the camera would shut down. I thought it was hosed forever and got an insurance replacement. I can't believe it now works. Can't depend on it now for sure. So, I'm saying the impact of your camera landing might have hosed the battery. Try another new battery in there. I eventually bought a ZS1 (25 wide, 12x zoom) but really I now shoot with DSLRs.

The TZ5 was pretty much the standard for a "travel zoom" when it came out but time marches on and I don't think Panasonic is at the top of the heap now. Read the reviews in this linky to see what's out there now:

all from along south side except last one is from west. new trails are open, although sign says to use them at your own risk and with caution as they are supposedly not finished with all the work.

Those look like pics of two different trail systems. A couple going up to the waterfall area, the others going up from more south (like in the Easley area). The Easley-looking trail---does that now continue to up on top? It used to just peter out and I had to carry my bike to get to a road (couldn't ride through the cactus ya know).

I eventually bought a ZS1 (25 wide, 12x zoom) but really I now shoot with DSLRs.

The TZ5 was pretty much the standard for a "travel zoom" when it came out but time marches on and I don't think Panasonic is at the top of the heap now. Read the reviews in this linky to see what's out there now:

On that list, the Panasonic still has the widest angle at 24mm (as well as 2 others, that Sony sure looks interesting). I'm not terribly interested in zoom. DSLs are fun, but its a lot to haul and fret about on a bike.
A trail camera is about how much area you can put into a shot, and excess zoom is rarely used, IMO.

On that list, the Panasonic still has the widest angle at 24mm (as well as 2 others, that Sony sure looks interesting). I'm not terribly interested in zoom. DSLs are fun, but its a lot to haul and fret about on a bike.
A trail camera is about how much area you can put into a shot, and excess zoom is rarely used, IMO.

You're right about excess zoom, as well. I'm more of wide angle shooter. DPReview is a good source for other comparisons like that link if you're interested in other types of cameras. I've gotten addicted to the speed of a DSLR and looking through an optical view finder. Yesterday, it was cool with my "blast from the past" TZ5 but disconcerting composing with an LCD. YMMV.

Photo-John, over on the "Photography for Mountain Bikers" forum here just took an Olympus EP-3 on his honeymoon in Europe instead of his DSLR. He had to believe it would get the shot to do that. He said he'd taken it on many bike rides before the honeymoon to make sure. Read all about it here:

You're right about excess zoom, as well. I'm more of wide angle shooter. DPReview is a good source for other comparisons like that link if you're interested in other types of cameras. I've gotten addicted to the speed of a DSLR and looking through an optical view finder. Yesterday, it was cool with my "blast from the past" TZ5 but disconcerting composing with an LCD. YMMV.

My wife's camera, the Panasonic Lumix ZS3, which I was using before I got my Sony, is a wonderful point-and-shoot, and it may have a bit of a better lens, as it doesn't have the reds issue, and never introduced geometrical distortion around the edges of the shot. The HX9v does do this a bit, but this is pretty standard for point-and-shoots, and is easily fixed in software in the very few instances where it becomes noticeable.

But we're talking real fine-tuning stuff here. In every other way, the HX9v blows away the Panasonic ZS3 (and ZS7 and ZS10, for that matter). I'd say that the daytime image qualilty still is top-notch, and low-light shooting is on a completely different level. I never, ever use the flash. The two auto modes are both fantastic..

Originally Posted by xcguy

Photo-John, over on the "Photography for Mountain Bikers" forum here just took an Olympus EP-3 on his honeymoon in Europe instead of his DSLR. He had to believe it would get the shot to do that. He said he'd taken it on many bike rides before the honeymoon to make sure. Read all about it here:

yeah, sorry about that, the waterfall image is east side not west.
i do not remember all the trail names, i climbed up service road and than went south to where new trail begins, took this trail along south side (this is where i took first 3 pictures), it eventually forks once it gets on east side , one going down to the houses other one (cottonwood trail) climbs back up on the top and meets with mesa top trail which leads to the waterfall area.